Top experts in the field of neuroscience will present the latest information regarding the diagnosis and treatment of dementias at a conference sponsored by the UCSF Fresno Alzheimer’s Research Center (ARC). The conference titled “Dementia: Translating Research into Practice” will be held Saturday, June 15 from 7:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Rowell Auditorium at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (2615 E. Clinton Avenue) in Fresno.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most commonly diagnosed form of dementia and the form with no known cure. An estimated 6,000 people in the Fresno area are living with the disease.
“As people live longer, we see a greater prevalence of Alzheimer’s Disease,” said Craig Harlan, PhD, program director of UCSF Fresno’s Alzheimer’s Research Center. “At 65, a person has a one in 10 chance of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s; at 85, chances jump to 50 percent.”
Conference highlights include sessions on:
- Genetics of Dementia and Neurodegeneration
- Pharmacological Treatment Potentials for Alzheimer’s disease from Basic Neuroscience Research
- Tips for Community Physicians on the Mechanics of Dementia Care
- Managing Difficult Behaviors
- The Role of Culture in Dementia Care
The conference is aimed at community physicians and other health care professionals. Caregivers and the general public are also invited to attend.
Advance registration is $65 for physicians, $25 for students, and $55 for other health care professionals and the general public. On-site registration is $75.
Established in 1989, UCSF Fresno’s ARC offers complete diagnostic services, treatment planning, counseling, caregiver support groups and educational opportunities for patients, families, and health care professionals. ARC also participates in valuable research that may help find treatments to halt the disease in the future. ARC is one of 10 state-funded Alzheimer’s Research Centers of California (ARCCs) and the only one of its kind in the Valley. ARC’s service area includes Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, Mariposa, Stanislaus, Tulare, San Luis Obispo, and Tuolumne counties.
For more information about the conference or services available at the Alzheimer’s Research Center in Fresno, please call (559) 227-4810.
